Match Preview: Republic FC vs. Real Monarchs SLC

By Sean Steimel, 05/28/18, 1:00PM PDT

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Republic FC return to USL action on Tuesday, May 29. Kickoff Zions Bank Stadium at Zions Bank Stadium is set for 6 p.m.

HERRIMAN, Utah (May 28, 2018) — Sacramento Republic FC resume USL play on Tuesday night as they travel to Salt Lake City to take on Western Conference leaders Real Monarchs SLC. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

Tuesday’s match will be the first meeting between the two sides since they faced off in the first round of the 2017 USL playoffs. Sacramento travelled to Salt Lake City as the eight-seed and defeated the one-seed Monarchs in penalty kicks after the match finished 1-1 in regulation.

Republic FC are coming off a road victory in Reno in the Third Round of the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Keven Alemán was the difference with a superb goal from a free kick in the second half, while goalkeeper Josh Cohen and the defense recorded their first clean sheet since April 7. In their previous USL match, Republic FC (6-2-3) defeated Didier Drogba’s Phoenix Rising FC on the road. Cameron Iwasa, Villyan Bijev and Wilson Kneeshaw all tallied goals, while Cohen stifled Drogba and his side with some incredible saves, including a penalty kick save. Iwasa leads the team with 5 goals, while he and Bijev share the team-lead with 3 assists a piece. Josh Cohen was named to the USL Team of the Week for his stellar performance in Phoenix.

Real Monarchs SLC (8-2-1) enter the match at the head of the Western Conference, a spot they held for most of the 2017 season. The team suffered just their second defeat of the season last week, falling 1-0 to Portland Timbers FC 2 on Saturday. Kalen Ryden and Sebastian Velasquez have led a very potent offense in goals, as the team has scored the fourth highest goal tally in the West with 20. Ryden has also helped anchor a defense that has only allowed 10 goals on the season, the third-fewest in the West. Mark Briggs is in second year as Head Coach of Real Monarchs SLC after leading the club to a first-place finish in 2017.